I only recently learned of the Gemini XI mission and their use of the Agena Target Vehicle, I was previously unaware that experimentation with creating artificial gravity in space had taken place all the way back in 1966.
The mission involved 2 vehicles, the Gemini XI capsule and the Agena target vehicle you see attached to the tether in the above picture, the launch took place on September 12th 1966 and the return took place on the 15th of September.
The Agena was used to experiment with docking (in preparation for the Apollo missions), they also attached a tether between the 2 spacecraft and applied thrust to create spin. This spinning motion created a small amount of artificial gravity, a global first, and the mission set the stage for the docking systems used right the way up to Apollo 16.
Ben Branch has had his work featured on CNN, Popular Mechanics, the official Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with millions of readers around the world and hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
If you’d like to vote for this bike to win you can click here to visit the competition page. PJ Grakauskas When PJ Grakauskas was picked to build one of the three custom Indian Bobbers competing with mechanical engineer Christian Newman and NASA engineer Alfredo Juarez, he knew he had his work cut out for him….
The Harley-Davidson JDH Twin-Cam The Harley-Davidson JDH Twin-Cam is one of the most celebrated motorcycles ever built by the Milwaukee-based manufacturer. The 74 cubic inch V-twin featured twin cams with two lobes on each, rather than the older set-up that used a single cam with 4 lobes. This reduced the reciprocating weight and reduced the length of…
The original Dukes of Hazzard TV series and the ensuing movies have become pop culture icons, they’ve aired around the globe giving the world a look at the American South, and I’m still not sure if the most popular character is Daisy Duke or the car you see here – General Lee. The Dukes of…
The BaughbLabs Aluminum Pen was designed to be the last pen you’ll ever need to buy. It was developed by architect Robert Isaac to have no breakable clicking or moving elements other than the screw down end, and each pen is individually milled from a solid 3/8″ diameter 6061-T6 aluminum alloy rod. 6061-T6 aluminum alloy is used in applications where…
This post was written by Anton Knutsson, the founder of Swedish custom motorcycle garage Injustice Customs. When possible we like to bring you the story of a custom in the words of the people who built it to give you insight into their process and methods, and to cut out the middle man. Meet Anton…
Bill Devin is a man who should doubtless be far more famous than he is, he’s credited with being the first person to use toothed belt in a timing belt application, an invention he came up with in order to get a pair of Norton Manx barrels and heads working after attaching them to a two-cylinder Panhard…
